Britain Expelling Bulgarian Colonel on Spying Charges
Britain on Tuesday expelled Bulgaria’s military attache in London for suspected espionage.
Col. Ivan Pavlov Djambov was given 14 days to leave because of what a Foreign Office spokesman said were “activities incompatible with his status,” a phrase normally used to indicate spying.
Bulgarian Charge d’Affaires Philip Bokov was summoned to the Foreign Office to be told that Djambov, who is married with two children, will have to leave.
Bokov rejected the charges and said the expulsion was “totally out of step with” previously good relations between the two nations. He said Britain did not present him with any evidence of espionage activities by Djambov.
The Foreign Office statement said Djambov could be replaced but that his successor would first have to be cleared by British authorities.
Bokov refused to speculate on how his government might respond to the British action.
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